India's young batting star Shubman Gill has endured a topsy-turvy run in T20Is of late, producing flashes of brilliance alongside a few early exits. With
India set to take on Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 final, the spotlight remains firmly on Gill, who has been one of the team's preferred openers.
Gill's most recent outing came against Sri Lanka in the ongoing Super Four clash at the Dubai International Stadium. In what was a dead rubber, the right-hander managed only 4 runs off 3 deliveries before being undone by Maheesh Theekshana's sharp reflexes.
Gill drove a fullish delivery with conviction, only to watch the bowler dive across and pull off a spectacular caught-and-bowled. This marked Gill's second dismissal to Theekshana in T20Is, having scored just 10 runs off 10 balls against the Sri Lankan spinner overall.
Looking back at his last 10 T20I innings, Gill's record has been patchy:
vs Sri Lanka (Asia Cup, Super 4): 4 (3)
vs Bangladesh (Asia Cup, Super 4): 29 (19)
vs Pakistan (Asia Cup, Super 4): 47 (28)
vs Oman (Asia Cup GS): 5 (8)
vs Pakistan (Asia Cup GS ): 10 (7)
vs UAE (Asia Cup GS): 20 (9)
vs Sri Lanka (3rd T20I): 39 (37)
vs Sri Lanka (1st T20I): 34 (16)
vs Zimbabwe (5th T20I): 13 (14)
vs Zimbabwe (4th T20I): 58 (39)
From these numbers, it's clear that Gill has struggled for consistency. His strike rates in innings such as 20 (9) and 34 (16) showcased his ability to provide aggressive starts, while knocks of 58 (39) against Zimbabwe and 47 (28) versus Pakistan proved he can anchor an innings with substance. However, the early dismissals - 5 (8) against Oman and 10 (7) against Pakistan in the group stage - underline the issue of not capitalizing on starts.
Despite the uneven returns, vice-captain Gill remains a vital cog in India's top order. His ability to adapt to different conditions and accelerate quickly makes him a threat to any bowling attack. With India eyeing their first Asia Cup final win over Pakistan in more than four decades, fans will hope Gill can shrug off his inconsistencies and deliver on the big stage.
For Gill, the final offers not just redemption but also an opportunity to silence critics and reaffirm his place as one of India's premier T20 batters.
